Shepards in Contest
by Aerista
Summary: Commanders Jane and John Shepard; twins separated at birth only to be reunited together later in life. Two lives that lead completely different paths now merge into one story only meant for one of them. (Fanfiction for male and female Shepard during the events of Mass Effect 1 future FShep/Alekno and MShep/Williams to come)
1. Bio: John Shepard

Name: John Shepard

Birth Date: April 11, 2154

Time: 00:53

Age: 29

Family: Rosalyn Shepard (Mother) [ Deceased ]

Hannah Shepard (Step-Mother) [ Active ]

Mark Shepard (Father) [ Deceased ]

Jane Shepard (Twin Sister) [ Active ]

Preservice History: John was separated from his mother and sister at a very young age, not remembering anything about them other than what his father always spoke of. His father remarried only a few years after the separation and Hannah Shepard is the woman John always knew as his mother. She had his father were both part of the Alliance military and the three of them were constantly moving between stations and bases. This caused Shepard to never really find many close friends during his childhood and teenage years and allowing him to become extroverted to compensate for the different changes in friends over the years.

When John turned eighteen, he enlisted in the Alliance Military Academy. He trained hard and looked like a true soldier. His intelligence, however, was not as exemplary as it could have been. Instead of studying nights before exams, he went out and drank and partied as much as an Alliance trainee was allowed to.

However, during his studies, his father's ship was attacked by a band of pirates, causing a rupture in the hull and everybody on board to suffocate. John did not hear of the news until the holidays, the Alliance attempting to cover it up to not worrying the colonists and Earth-born of the incident. (SPACER)

Psychological Record: Before John was even able to graduate, or debatably shortly after, he was recruited and shipped off into the Skyllian Verge on news that an attack on Ellysium had occurred by an enormous conglomerate of pirates, slavers and batarian warlords. It was a hell of a war, lasting longer than thought was humanly possible.

Colonists lived in fear and John was stationed with them, the rest of his battalion either dead or back on the ship. Most just wanted to return to Earth and never see the damn planet again. But John knew better. John was a solder; a marine. He used his remaining strength of will to rally the colonists together against the oncoming attackers. They built a barricade, holding off the enemy for a short time while they gathered any ammo and weaponry they could. And once they broke through, there was hell to come. But John was a soldier and held them off on his own, singlehandedly decimating all incoming forces and gave the colonists time to fix the broken barricade.

When returned home, John was awarded with the Star of Terra and became a household name of sorts. He was considered a hero for his endeavors and likes to show it off. However, he does still have some issues from the attack on Ellysium, most of them being mental and not so much physical. But he never let that get in the way of his duty. (WAR HERO)

Class: Soldier


	2. Bio: Jane Shepard

Name: Jane Shepard

Birth Date: April 11, 2154

Time: 00:49

Age: 29

Family: Rosalyn Shepard (Mother) [ Deceased ]

Mark Shepard (Father) [ Deceased ]

John Shepard (Twin Brother) [ Active ]

Preservice History: Separated at birth from her birth father and twin brother, she grew up with her mother on the outer colony of Mindoir. There she grew up as a relatively happy child, helping her mother with the farm and going out to play with her small group of friends. The older she got, the more she began to wonder about her father, not knowing of her twin brother's existence. Her mother never spoke of him, so Shepard took her own initiative and searched for pictures, diary entries, anything of her birth father. Unfortunately, she did not come up with much, only a few pictures and a few letters. Learning of her father's involvement in the Alliance military and constant moving from station to station, she found it impractical to attempt to find him.

Then, a few days after she had turned sixteen, her town was raided by batarian slavers. She had luckily found a place to hide in which the slavers could not find her nor access her even if they did find her. This position also forced her to watch her mother become brutally abused and then slowly tortured and murdered, along with the rest of her friends and relatives. The stench of blood, ashes, and bile stung her nostrils and caused her to pass out.

When she awoke, a group of Alliance soldiers had attempted to get her out, eventually doing so and helping her to an escape ship. It was only she and a small handful of others who had made it out of the atrocity alive. She swore she would eventually find vengeance for what happened and never let it happen again.

At the age of eighteen, she decided to enlist in the Alliance military, wanting to help those who may end up in her position. (COLONIST)

Psychological Record: Only a year or so after graduating from the academy, Shepard was assigned to a team of marines to investigate some happenings on the colonial planet of Akuze. There hadn't been much contact from the colony and when they arrived, the situation got even stranger. There was no destruction, so obvious signs of a raid or an attack. It was as if the entire colony had just disappeared.

That night, the team took to camping out in a field, sharing the night and waiting to see if anything would happen. For the majority of the night, nothing did. Shepard couldn't tell if it was good or bad that nothing was happening, but like the others, she eventually fell asleep in the false security of their campsite. But only maybe an hour or so of restless sleeping did a rumbling start from under the ground.

Shepard woke and sat up, trying to see if they were being attacked, and if so, by what. But there was nothing in the distance. And worse, it felt as if it were coming from the underground. She got up, shotgun in hand and tried waking the others. They blew her off as overly nervous and paranoid and told her to go back to sleep. It wouldn't have been the first time, but she swore it was a real feeling.

And it was.

Without announcement, the vibrating stopped and shooting up from the ground, a giant creature, later to become known as a thresher maw, appeared, towering over the camp site. Some reacted immediately, allowing them to get a head start. Others were not so lucky and were killed on the spot. Shepard had booked it right when it appeared, attempting to outrun the monster. More and more of her men died as she attempted to help them fight it off, but it was hopeless. It ended up having her abandon the mission and run back to the pick up site. She waited at the site for a day, starving, dehydrated, paranoid and fidgety.

It's hard for her to talk about Akuze and likes to pretend it didn't happen. However, with the amount of military superiors she had to deal with then and now, it's hard not to be reminded of it. (SOLE SURVIVOR)

Class: Vanguard ( + Assault Rifles)


	3. Eden Prime: Prologue

_Jane Shepard, Commander of the SSV-Normandy SR-1 for almost a year now, XO for two more. After survival of the attack on the human colony of Mindior by batarian slavers and thresher maw attack on Akuze, she is more than a perfect candidate for this. She is strong willed and proficient in her biotic abilities as well as combat strategy. If there is one person we could choose to protect the galaxy, it's her._

**_However, Captain, she does have some psychological traumas that could cause her to make rash decisions based purely on adrenaline and raw emotions. We do not need a soldier like that on the front lines making decisions that could have the humans look like nothing more than savage beasts. We already have the Council looking down on our race, why not take her brother?_**

**_John Shepard is a fine soldier and a proud one at that. He is one of humanities' greatest stories. Grew up in a soldier's household and had been training since he entered high school to become a truly powerful soldier. He has a fine head on his shoulders and is a more than likely candidate for this position compared to his sister._**

_With all due respect, Ambassador, John does not have the best training record while at the academy. How he ever got through basic training is beyond my comprehension. If he did not have the recs he did, he wouldn't be serving on this ship. He may be a good soldier, but he is not somebody to trust the fate of the universe with. He's too reckless; too bold. He will no doubt end up like his father if he is not careful._

**_Then we have both made our decisions then. I will support whichever you choose, Captain. But make sure it is for the right reasons._**

_Of course, Ambassador._

* * *

Jane had been told of their mission to Eden Prime a few days in advance, but no real reason on why. It was, from how she had been briefed, just a simple check of the stealth systems. Some of the crew had murmured words that there was more to this mission than lead on, but she didn't exactly like to question authority. Normally it didn't end well. And it was Captain Anderson in charge, one of the most respected, if not the most respected, man in all of the Alliance Fleet. With him at the helm, the mission should be a success.

She had made her way up to the bridge of the ship, mainly to see them approach the human colony. In all of her time serving, she had never been out this far. It was going to be an experience, to say the least. But according to the brief, they weren't going to be landing. That was fine with her. The more she could actually serve in the best way possible, the better this universe might actually end up.

Joker and Kaiden were having some kind of conversation about the Spectre aboard, Nihlus was his name. He had passed by her, not making any sort of eye contact. Those were Spectres for you. But she didn't really try to pay it any mind. All she wanted was for the mission to be a success. As she entered the bridge, she overheard Joker's and Alenko's conversation.

"Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him onboard. Call me paranoid."

You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."

"Yeah, that is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."

Hearing Joker's words or worry were something she had grown accustomed to. "You always expect the worst," she spoke with an exasperated sigh. The stars were beautiful, everything looking like it should.

"Well, bad feelings are an occupational hazard," he shrugged off. "We don't go anywhere unless there's a good reason, so what are we doing here?"

The comm channel clicked open. "Joker," Anderson stated. "Status report."

"Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

"Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."

"Aye aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way."

"He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing." The channel disconnected and she sighed. She could never tell if he wanted her or her brother. Sharing the same first initial and last name _and_ rank were some things she just wished she could change. But alas, that was something only hard work and a whole lot of time could pay off for.

"Did you get that Commander?"

She sighed. "The Captain sounds mad. Something must have gone wrong with the mission. I should probably go and get John down there."

"Who says he didn't mean you?"

"When does he ever mean me? It's him who's the Captain's favorite." She rolled her eyes, folding her arms in memories of training and the academy. Always the favorite, he was. Never worked for it a day in his life.

"Actually," the Lieutenant corrected. "It's the Ambassador that has him as his favorite. I'd just go down yourself, anyway. For all you know, he could have meant you."

She shrugged. "I suppose you're right, Lieutenant. I should head down." With that, she turned and headed for the comm room.

Joker stifled a laugh. "I don't understand what's got her worried. The Captain always sounds like that when he's talking to me."

Kaiden only rolled his eyes. "I couldn't _possibly_ imagine why."

* * *

As the commander walked herself towards the comm room, she heard mixed rumors of why Nihlus was on the ship and what the mission really was about. If she could have addressed the crew herself to calm them, she would have, but she didn't have the authority. All she could do was brush off the notions that this wasn't just a simple routine mission and that Nihlus was actually on some 'super secret Spectre mission'.

It was before the comm room where she saw her brother talking to the renown Doctor Chakwas and Corporal Jenkins. He must have caught sight of her because before she could have entered on her own, he waved her to stop before finishing his conversation and walking over to her.

He wasn't _that_ much taller, Jane liked to think. Sure he was more muscular, but that was purely biological. John had very chiseled features, the kind that would get him trouble with other female trainees back in the Academy. She just stood there, her bright green eyes staring up at his blueish grey ones. Not many people could tell they were siblings, let alone twins. The only thing that ever gave any of it away was their last name.

"Don't tell me," he mused. "The Captain told you to head down to the comm room as well?"

"Well, he said Commander Shepard, so I assumed that meant either of us."

"He commed me a bit earlier saying he wanted both of us." He shrugged, acting as if that were a normality on the ship. "I told him you had gone up to the cockpit with Joker and Alenko and then he just cut the channel. I only assumed he was going to get you or he gave up trying to contact you."

She sighed nodding towards the door for both of them to head through. "You don't think he's finally going to throw you into deep space, do you?" Jane asked with a bit too much optimism in her voice.

He only laughed, rustling her hair the only way that he knew she hated before Jane batted his hand away and he shrugged. "I don't know, sis. Maybe you can actually convince him. He did sound pretty ticked."

"That's what I said," fixing her messed up hair the best she could. "Let's head in before he ends up blowing a gasket."

They both snickered to themselves. If there was one thing John could say he actually liked about his sister, it was that no matter how far that stick she had was up her ass, she always could find time for a bit of good old fashioned humor.


	4. Eden Prime: Debriefing

Entering the comm bay, the two couldn't find the Captain anywhere in sight, the only one in the room being Nihlus. The two had exchanged somewhat worried glances before the turian turned to them both. "Commanders. I was hoping you two'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk." His voice was calm and cool; surprisingly soothing compared to other Turians the two had talk to, though that number was still not very high.

"The Captain said he would meet us here," John mentioned, not sure of what to think of the situation.

Nihlus nodded. "He's on his way." It was dismissive and Jane didn't like the look of it all.

"Talk about what?" Jane pressed, trying to get Nihlus to say what he was going to before Anderson arrived.

"I'm interested in this world we're going to-Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"They say it's a paradise."

"Yes... a paradise. Serene. Tranquil. Safe. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it really?"

That was what set not only Jane off, but John as well. John was the one to speak next, his voice not as accepting of the Turian as it was before.

"Do you know something?" The female commander shot him a look before he started to go off on the Spectre. She had learned of what the Spectres were when she was in the Academy; both of them did. They were almost invulnerable to the law and only answered to themselves and the Council. And even then, according to some skeptics, they didn't even have to accept what the Council ordered them to do. Anderson walked into the room, seeming to have his eyes on Nihlus. It was clear that the two of them knew something that the two Commanders did not.

"Your people are still newcomers," the Spectre continued. "The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"

"I think it's about time we told the Commander what's really going on," Anderson chimed in, taking his place beside Nihlus.

"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run."

John scoffed, folding his arms. "I already figured that." Jane smacked his arm, glaring before speaking for herself. "Are you going to fill us in on what's going on?"

"We're making a covert pickup on Eden Prime," he explained. "That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

"I don't like being kept in the dark, Captain."

"This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."

The twins took a step back, confused on how a Prothean beacon could end up on a planet like Eden Prime. "The Protheans vanished fifty thousand years ago," Jane said. "How could a beacon end up on Eden Prime?"

"Perhaps, but their legacy still remains," Nihlus confirmed. "The mass relays, the Citadel, our ship drives-it's all based on Prothean technology."

The captain spoke again, "This is big, Shepard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study." He seemed excited about it, but his stoic face didn't seem to show it. It usually didn't. Still bringing back something like this didn't sit well with Jane.

Nihlus was able to interject between the two humans. "Obviously, this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in Council space." _So that's why we're bringing this to the Council_, John thought.

Jane, however, decided to be a bit more tactical. "Are we expecting trouble, sir?" she asked Anderson, to which he shook his head.

"There's more to this, Commander," he tried to explain. "Nihlus isn't only here to retrieve the beacon. He's also here to evaluate the two of you."

"What's going on, Captain?"

"The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come."

Spectre? Were they serious? Of course more say in the Council was preferred. Udina wanted all the say he could get when it came to interstellar policy. Jane wasn't exactly fond of him. John was okay with him, to say the least. Sure he didn't like the guy, but he was still Udina's favorite. Both of them knew it. John didn't want to admit it.

"With all due respect, I understand why John would be evaluated for Spectre status, but why am I being evaluated as well?"

"Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze. You showed a remarkable will to live-a particularly useful talent," Nihlus praised. She felt a bit of pride in that sentiment. "The Ambassador was the one who wanted to put your brother forward. I thought you were more than capable to take on the duty as well, so I put your name forward as well."

This whole conversation was just a mess at this point, at least on the Commanders' side. Jane couldn't believe a Spectre would want her name put forward compared to John. Sure, they were both put up, but she knew that only one of them would actually become a Spectre. The Council was smart like that. Giving humans too much power would not only be a waste of human intuition, but also a chance for humans to get too much power on their part. And if she knew the Council, then that was something they were trying to avoid.

Then John got stupid again.

"What if I refuse?" he asked. "I don't like people making decisions about my future."

"This is not about you, Shepard," the Captain corrected. "Humanity needs this. We are counting on you both."

It was from then that the two of them were briefed on their role in the mission. Both of them had their minds on similar things. Jane more-so on the topic of becoming a Spectre. The first human Spectre of all time and she was absolutely frightened about the fact. It was the highest honor any soldier could accept. This was the day that she had been waiting for since training. Becoming a Spectre was a dream come true…but the fact that the Ambassador wanted John to have it instead of her, it just caused a bit of worry on her part.

She had phased herself out of the conversation a bit because when she refocused, it was Joker's voice she heard over the comm. "Captain! We've got a problem."

"What's wrong, Joker?" he called back.

"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!"

"Bring it up onscreen."

What they all saw was nothing they could comprehend. A distress call that lasted for maybe a minute or so, and then cutting to nothing. John nor Jane recognized the soldier in the screen, but she seemed like she was handling herself, though still in danger. What they saw of Eden Prime compared to what they knew from stories of the crew was…it was as if the places weren't even the same. Fire, screaming over comm systems and creatures John and Jane had only seen in textbooks or horror stories.

Once it turned to fuzz, Joker came back online. "Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."

The Captain must have seen something, because he ordered Joker to roll back in the transmission, freezing the image on what could only be described as a giant claw-looking ship.

"Status report," Anderson ordered.

"Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area."

"Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated."

"A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It's our best chance to secure the beacon," Nihlus interjected.

The Captain took in the recommendation and turned to his two commanders. "Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold. Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. You're both going in."


	5. Eden Prime: Jenkins and Williams

The landing party set foot on Eden Prime, now just a burning corpse of what it had once been. The area surrounding the landing party was clear, minus what Jenkins had called "gas bags". Non-hostiles, but still a bit unnerving to look at. John tried to use them as target practice before Jane had to remind him that they were on a mission with unknown hostiles. Any sort of gunfire could set them off. Last thing they needed was to end up how that team from the transmission did.

The Commanders' N7 helmets crackled to life with Nihlus on the other line. "This place got hit hard. Hostiles everywhere. Keep your guard up." Jane responded. "Copy that, Nihlus. See you at the beacon. Over and out."

Of the entire landing party, Jenkins was probably the most fidgety of the bunch. It made sense, at least to John. When talking to him and Chakwas, he learned that this was Jenkin's homeworld. To see it in shambles like this, he couldn't even imagine. Sure, the Blitz was a crazy place, but that was a war. This was just an attack. Without knowledge, he ended up glancing over to his sister, stone cold and moving along ahead of the team. Reading up on her, he knew about Mindoir and how she lost their mother. Part of him thought that if their parents didn't separate, then he might have ended up dead as well.

Jane held up a hand, stopping them around a bend before going out. A whirring sound had set her off. The rest of the team stopped, crouched behind a wall of boulders. After a moment, she gave the signal to move out, taking our her pistol in the mean time. She and the rest of the team moved quickly and quietly, minus Jenkins. Before either of the Commanders could blink, Jenkins screamed in agony, falling to the ground. He didn't move.

"Get down!" John called, Jane and Kaiden immediately taking cover. Blasts of lasers sped past their heads, breaking only for enough time for the team to get shots in. There were three drones. In each break, the team was practically in sync, reaching above their barriers and taking aim, then firing their weapons. One misfire ended up with Jane's shoulder getting singed, completely ignoring her shields. But once the last one exploded, John took a second look and then gave the all clear, standing and going over to the motionless body between them all.

Alenko did a body scan, sighing when he stood back up. "He's gone. The shot ripped right through his shields. He never had a chance."

"Leave him," John stated. "We need to finish the mission."

Kaiden nor Jane were surprised by his coldness, Alenko nodding. "Aye aye, sir." As they continued and got out of earshot of the cold-hearted male, Jane spoke to Kaiden on her own. "We'll see he receives a proper burial once the mission is over. John's just focused on that beacon." The lieutenant nodded, making his way between the two commanders. There wasn't much activity after that, a few more drones which were somehow easier than the last. The remains, when analyzed, clearly weren't Alliance or Turian work. Nor were they Asari or any technology of the Alliance. Another call came through from Nihlus.

"I've got some burned out buildings here, Shepard. A lot of bodies. I'm gonna check it out. I'll try to catch up with you at the dig site." John confirmed the order this time, faster than Jane could. _This is about Jenkins_, she thought to herself, though glancing at Kaiden, she could tell he was thinking the same thing. John wasn't exactly close with most of the crew, but he was friends with Jenkins since Jenkins started serving on the ship. And being who John was, friends weren't exactly something to come by.

The landing party continued onward, up a hill with John stopping them as another soldier came running. She ended up on the ground, taking cover and blasting the drones down, one shot for each. Creatures, which none of the landing party could identify in a moment, were seen on the hill, taking a civilian and holding him down, allowing a spike to shoot up through his body. The soldier got up and started running to the landing party, the creatures pulling out their own weapons and aiming for them as well.

Kaiden went to assist the stranger while both Shepards flanked from the other side, attempting to take the creatures from behind. The male biotic was able to throw one of the creatures into the air, keeping it in a stasis long enough for the others to get clear shots at it. Jane and John's tag team of assault rifle and shotgun were able to stall and kill the second. And, for a moment, they were safe.

All four came out from behind their barriers, Kaiden moving over with the two commanders and staring down the human female.

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212," she spoke, almost out of breath. "You the one in charge here, sir?" She addressed John, in this case, him gladly accepting the role as 'the one in charge'. Admittedly, Jane was a bit peeved about that, but she decided that right now was not the time nor place to correct that sort of thing.

"Are you wounded, Williams?" he questioned. That was John; always loved the side chatter on missions.

"A few scrapes and burns," she shrugged off. "Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky."

"Status report, Williams," Jane cut in. "What's going on here?"

"Oh man... We were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. I've been fighting for my life ever since."

"Where's the rest of your squad?"

"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others... I think I'm the only one left."

"You just left the rest of your unit behind to die?"

"We held our position as long as we could! The geth overwhelmed us!"

John nudged Jane's shoulder, trying to get her under control. Kaiden, perplexed like the others, spoke up after Ashely's outburst. "The geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in nearly two hundred years. Why are they here now?"

The Chief shrugged. "They must have come for the beacon. The dig site is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there." She motioned down the hill, down to the dig site that could have been seen in the distance. John cocked his gun, nodding towards her. "We could use your help, Williams." Gladly, she nodded. "Aye aye, sir. It's time for payback."


	6. Eden Prime: Husks

They moved out, Kaiden and John questioning Ashely on what she knew of the current situation to try to figure out what the geth would be doing on a planet like Eden Prime. Jane stayed ahead, taking the lead towards the dig site. She truly didn't care what the get he were doing, the only thing she was worried about was finishing the mission and meeting up with Nihlus. More geth appeared before they made it to the dig site, them somehow being taken down easier than before. It wasn't like they were always fighting geth and it just came naturally. It eventually became a numb kind of killing, in her mind. She just wanted to get the Prothean beacon and get back to the _Normandy_.

It took very little time to get to the dig site, the place abandoned and empty with the stench of flesh sitting in the air. "This doesn't feel right," Jane murmured to herself, realizing she wasn't the only one thinking that.

"This is the dig site. The beacon was right here…it must have been moved." Ashley seemed a bit frantic when she spoke, still keeping cool under pressure. John liked that.

"By who?" Kaiden asked. "Our side or the geth?"

"Hard to say. Maybe we'll know more after we check out the research camp."

"You think anybody got out of here alive?" John chimed in.

"If they were lucky. Maybe they're up in the cap. It's just on the top of this ridge, up the ramps."

"Then I guess we're headed to the camp," Jane said.

The group moved up and headed up the ramp to the camp. More of those spikes kept appearing. Bodies were still stuck onto them. It gave most of them chills, not exactly fond of the fact that all these innocent people died. Maybe if they were faster then some people may have survived.

A call came in from Nihlus over the comm, still a bit faded and scratchy from either distance or a radio disruptor.

"Change of plans, Shepard. There's a small spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out. I'll wait for you there."

"Hear you loud and clear, Nihlus," John responded. "See you at the port."

As the group approached the camp, they were on guard, guns at the ready for any kind of interruption or surprise attack from the geth. It was empty and horrifyingly quiet, fires raging around all of them. It was too reminiscent for Jane of what Mindoir was like the day the batarians attacked. Chills danced up and down her spine, not knowing if she'd rather have geth be attacking or batarians.

She didn't want to find out.

The camp was in ruin, spikes with bodies impaled on them. Dried blood stained the alien tech with the bodies remaining lifeless on them. Fire burned remains of cabins and reserves. "Keep your guard up," Jane advised. "We don't know what's waiting for us up here." They all had their respective weapons out, guard having been on since they found Ashley. Crackles of flames filled the silence as well as the faint static of their radios. Everything seemed safe.

Until the spikes retracted.

All four turned to them, watching as the bodies that were once still begin to move, skin no longer a human, fleshy pink, but rather a grey and disgusting hue. Their eyes glowed, lifeless as much as the rest of their machine-like body. They screeched something like a skidding car, oncoming to the soldiers.

"Open fire!"

All guns fired at once, Kaiden and Jane assisting as well with biotics. They kept their distance, seeing as if they got too close, these _things_ would release an electric charge capable of much more than taze them.

One by one, the husks hit the ground, the glowing lights that speckled the skin fading to nothing. The bodies were once again lifeless, none of the crew understanding what the hell they had just seen.

John was the first one to actually speak what was going on.

"What the actual fuck were those things?"

"I have no idea," Jane mumbled.

Kaiden chuckled. "Hm…Now we know what those spikes are for…turning our own dead against us.

Ashley shrugged, inspecting the spikes as well. "It doesn't just happen. It must take a few hours for those spikes to turn people into husks."

John cocked his gun. "Let's check out the rest of the camp in case there are more of those things."

They continued to search the camp, finding some redeemable enhancements amongst the flaming ruin. The beacon was, clearly, not there. With the threat of geth, it was a worry that they could have taken it. God only knew what they wanted with it, but if they got their hands on it, there wasn't a sure way on what they would do and how they would use it.

That was something nobody wanted to find out.

One of the intact buildings Jane inspected, finding that it was locked upon trying to open it. She picked the lock, motioning the others over in case there was something in there to surprise them. They all went in together, finding two humans inside, one hiding and one ready to fire. The female lowered the gun, a sigh of relief coming over her.

"Humans!" she cried. "Thank the maker!"

"Hurry! Close the door. Before they come back!" the man in the corner hissed, coming back up to standing and keeping behind the female.

Jane exchanged a look with John before talking. "Don't worry, you're safe. We'll protect you."

"Thank you," the female said. "I think we'll be okay for now. It looks like everyone's gone."  
"You're Doctor Warren," Ashley noted. "the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?"

"It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pick up the cam."

"So how did you end up in the shed?" John asked.

"We hid here during the attack. They must have come here for the beacon. Luckily, it wasn't here. When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide…they gave their lives to save us."

"No one is saved," Manuel mumbled under frantic breaths. "The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain."

"Did a turian end up here?" Jane figured if Nihlus was nearby, they'd be able to meet up. Maybe he'd actually be able to find the beacon first before the geth got it, if they hadn't already.

"I saw him. The prophet. Leader of the enemy. He was here, before the attack." The doctor shot Manuel a look as if to quiet him.

"That's impossible," Kaiden corrected. "Nihlus was with us on the _Normandy_ before the attack. He couldn't have been here."

Warren apologize. "I'm sorry. Manuel's still a bit…unsettles. We haven't seen your turian. We've been hiding here this entire time."

"That's fine, doctor. Williams, take us to the spaceport," John commanded.

"You can't stop it," Manuel suggested. "Nobody can stop it. Night is falling! The darkness of eternity!"

"Hush, Manuel. Go lie down." Doctor Warren rubbed his back and moved him towards the bed. "You'll feel better once the medication kicks in." She turned back to the crew, nodding. "Good luck, Commanders."


	7. Eden Prime: Saren

They moved out, Kaiden and John questioning Ashely on what she knew of the current situation to try to figure out what the geth would be doing on a planet like Eden Prime. Jane stayed ahead, taking the lead towards the dig site. She truly didn't care what the get he were doing, the only thing she was worried about was finishing the mission and meeting up with Nihlus. More geth appeared before they made it to the dig site, them somehow being taken down easier than before. It wasn't like they were always fighting geth and it just came naturally. It eventually became a numb kind of killing, in her mind. She just wanted to get the Prothean beacon and get back to the _Normandy_.

It took very little time to get to the dig site. The place was abandoned and silent with the stench of flesh sitting in the air. "This doesn't feel right," Jane murmured to herself, realizing she wasn't the only one thinking that.

"This is the dig site. The beacon was right here…it must have been moved." Ashley seemed a bit frantic when she spoke, still keeping cool under pressure. John liked that.

"By who?" Kaiden asked. "Our side or the geth?"

"Hard to say. Maybe we'll know more after we check out the research camp."

"You think anybody got out of here alive?" John chimed in.

"If they were lucky. Maybe they're up in the cap. It's just on the top of this ridge, up the ramps."

"Then I guess we're headed to the camp," Jane said.

The group moved up and headed up the ramp to the camp. More of those spikes kept appearing. Bodies were still stuck onto them. It gave most of them chills, not exactly fond of the fact that all these innocent people died. Maybe if they were faster then some people may have survived.

A call came in from Nihlus over the comm, still a bit faded and scratchy from either distance or a radio disruptor.

"Change of plans, Shepard. There's a small spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out. I'll wait for you there."

"Hear you loud and clear, Nihlus," John responded. "See you at the port."

As the group approached the camp, they were on guard, guns at the ready for any kind of interruption or surprise attack from the geth. It was empty and horrifyingly quiet, fires raging around all of them. It was too reminiscent for Jane of what Mindoir was like the day the batarians attacked. Chills danced up and down her spine, not knowing if she'd rather have geth be attacking or batarians.

She didn't want to find out.

The camp was in ruin, spikes with bodies impaled on them. Dried blood stained the alien tech with the bodies remaining lifeless on them. Fire burned remains of cabins and reserves. "Keep your guard up," Jane advised. "We don't know what's waiting for us up here." They all had their respective weapons out, guard having been on since they found Ashley. Crackles of flames filled the silence as well as the faint static of their radios. Everything seemed safe.

Until the spikes retracted.

All four turned to them, watching as the bodies that were once still begin to move, skin no longer a human, fleshy pink, but rather a grey and disgusting hue. Their eyes glowed, lifeless as much as the rest of their machine-like body. They screeched something like a skidding car, oncoming to the soldiers.

"Open fire!"

All guns fired at once, Kaiden and Jane assisting as well with biotics. They kept their distance, seeing as if they got too close, these _things_ would release an electric charge capable of much more than taze them.

One by one, the husks hit the ground, the glowing lights that speckled the skin fading to nothing. The bodies were once again lifeless, none of the crew understanding what the hell they had just seen.

John was the first one to actually speak what was going on.

"What the actual fuck were those things?"

"I have no idea," Jane mumbled.

Kaiden chuckled. "Hm…Now we know what those spikes are for…turning our own dead against us.

Ashley shrugged, inspecting the spikes as well. "It doesn't just happen. It must take a few hours for those spikes to turn people into husks."

John cocked his gun. "Let's check out the rest of the camp in case there are more of those things."

They continued to search the camp, finding some redeemable enhancements amongst the flaming ruin. The beacon was, clearly, not there. With the threat of geth, it was a worry that they could have taken it. God only knew what they wanted with it, but if they got their hands on it, there wasn't a sure way on what they would do and how they would use it.

That was something nobody wanted to find out.

One of the intact buildings Jane inspected, finding that it was locked upon trying to open it. She picked the lock, motioning the others over in case there was something in there to surprise them. They all went in together, finding two humans inside, one hiding and one ready to fire. The female lowered the gun, a sigh of relief coming over her.

"Humans!" she cried. "Thank the maker!"

"Hurry! Close the door. Before they come back!" the man in the corner hissed, coming back up to standing and keeping behind the female.

Jane exchanged a look with John before talking. "Don't worry, you're safe. We'll protect you."

"Thank you," the female said. "I think we'll be okay for now. It looks like everyone's gone."  
"You're Doctor Warren," Ashley noted. "the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?"

"It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pick up the cam."

"So how did you end up in the shed?" John asked.

"We hid here during the attack. They must have come here for the beacon. Luckily, it wasn't here. When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide…they gave their lives to save us."

"No one is saved," Manuel mumbled under frantic breaths. "The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain."

"Did a turian end up here?" Jane figured if Nihlus was nearby, they'd be able to meet up. Maybe he'd actually be able to find the beacon first before the geth got it, if they hadn't already.

"I saw him. The prophet. Leader of the enemy. He was here, before the attack." The doctor shot Manuel a look as if to quiet him.

"That's impossible," Kaiden corrected. "Nihlus was with us on the _Normandy_ before the attack. He couldn't have been here."

Warren apologize. "I'm sorry. Manuel's still a bit…unsettles. We haven't seen your turian. We've been hiding here this entire time."

"That's fine, doctor. Williams, take us to the spaceport," John commanded.

"You can't stop it," Manuel suggested. "Nobody can stop it. Night is falling! The darkness of eternity!"

"Hush, Manuel. Go lie down." Doctor Warren rubbed his back and moved him towards the bed. "You'll feel better once the medication kicks in." She turned back to the crew, nodding. "Good luck, Commanders."

* * *

The walk continued, no geth in the immediate area, but husks came at them from most directions. An unfamiliar gunshot surprised them all, not having it come from any of their guns. But that question was halted by the fact that an enormous ship rose in the distance, covering the area in shadows by its strange formation. None of them had ever seen something like that. Alenko was the one to break the silence.

"What is that? Off in the distance?"

None of them knew, of course, but Ashely guessed, "It's a ship…I think. I mean, look at the size of it."

"We need to get to the beacon," Jane ordered. God only knew whether or not that the ship rising in the distance had the Prothean beacon on it. They couldn't take their chances, though. They had to act fast and before any of them knew it, they were running down to the docks and taking out whatever geth or husks they had to in order to get down here.

* * *

The group of four finally made it down, John and Kaiden having scouted ahead as Jane and Williams stayed back to clear out whatever might have still been lurking in the crates or inside coming down from whatever spires still had bodies on them. Thankfully, once husks were shot down, they stayed down.

There wasn't much the two males found, other than the body of a turian who Kaiden seemed to step back at once found. "Commander…it's Nihlus…" John knelt down to inspect the body. Bullet right through the back of the skull. Turning around, he motioned for the other two to join them up on the dock. Williams was the most confused out of the three, it seemed.

"A turian?" she asked. "You know him?"

"He's a Spectre," Kaiden explained. "He was with us on the Nor—"

"Wait. Something's moving!" The reaction time on the four of them was astounding, all of them up and pointing towards the crates as a body slowly rose up. Human, thankfully, alive and not turned into a husk. He seemed to be visibly shaken and confused.

"Don't—don't shoot!" he cried. "I'm one of you! I'm human."

"Sneaking up on us like that nearly got you killed," Jane said with irritancy, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was hiding from those…those _things_. My name is Powell. I saw what happened to your turian friend. The other one shot him."

"What?" John asked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"There were two turians. Your friend and some other one called Saren. I think they knew each other. Your friend relaxed, let his guard down…and then Saren shot and killed him. Right in the back. I'm just lucky he didn't find me behind the crates."

"What about the beacon?"

"It's on the other platform. Probably where that Saren guy was headed. He hopped on the cargo train right after he killed your friend."

John lowered his gun. "I guess we're heading to the other platform. Thank you, Powell. Now get the hell out of here."

"Gladly." The human ran out from behind the crates and towards wherever he thought he could find help. Jane knew that he'd probably die—too much of a coward to face any kind of situational reality. They all moved out, taking out whatever geth blocked their path. Medigel had to be used thanks to a few bullets Jane had taken when rushing in too fast. They still had some, but John kept a closer eye on her after that.


End file.
